Joliet Park Distrtict holds open house Saturday on tax referendum

Sue Gulas, president of the Joliet Park District, listens to Amy Sanchez read from a speech Monday, July 24, 2017, during a Joliet Park Board meeting in Joliet, Ill.

The first of three Joliet Park District open houses will be held Saturday. The open house is 10 a.m. Saturday in the main hangar at the Joliet Regional Airport, 4000 W. Jefferson St.

The park district board has put a referendum asking for a 58 percent increase in its property tax rate on the ballot in the April 2 election. The open house will include a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session, Deputy Park District Director Brad Staab said.

Park officials have said the proposed rate increase would add $85 per $100,000 of assessed value to the annual park tax paid by home owners. It would generate $5 million a year for parks.

Park officials say the tax increase is needed to repair and maintain aging facilities as well as fund general operations after budget shortfalls in recent years. The park district gets 32 percent of revenues from property taxes, and park officials say other districts get closer to 50 percent.